And trainer David Pipe with his Baltimore Rock may provide it in the William Hill Imperial Cup (3.15pm).

The extended two-mile contest has been part of a traditional £100,000 bookmaker bonus, whereby the Imperial Cup first can claim the extra prize if they go on to also score at next week’s Cheltenham Festival. While a Nuneaton Scoop6-winning punter will be eyeing his own bonus £878,564 to add to the £412,961 he won on last Saturday’s popular pool bet earlier in the day, others will focus on the Imperial Cup.

And the Pipe stable has generally been the first port of call when it comes to picking the winner of the Sandown contest.

Pipe’s father Martin won the race six times – claiming the bonus twice with Olympian in 1993 and Blowing Wind five years later.

The successor at Pond House scored back-to-back successes in 2007 and 2008 with Gaspara and Ashkazar – the former going on to land the bonus and the latter just missing out.

Pipe also saddled the second and third in last year’s Imperial Cup and is again double-handed with Baltimore Rock joined by top-weight Swing Bowler.

But it is the former who looks the one primed for success.

The five-year-old has won twice and been second on his last three runs.

His latest effort saw him score in a Ludlow handicap last month.

He will have to step up on that with favourite Regal Encore and the John Ferguson-trained New Year’s Eve both in with a chance.

But Baltimore Rock looks just like the improving type that Pipe targets at the race. He also fits in with plenty of the trends of previous winners with age, weight, rating and recent form all in his favour.

Pipe said: “ Should Baltimore Rock triumph today he will no doubt be backed for the Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle at Cheltenham. He is currently 20-1, although he is not certain to make the cut.

Donald McCain’s Classic Move can land the Scoop6 bonus race - the European Breeders’ Fund William Hill ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle Final (2.05pm).

The five-year-old has won three from four starts since moving to McCain’s Bankhouse stable last year. They have all been in the north at Sedgefield, Bangor and Catterick last time out.

He will have to improve again to continue his run in today’s 2m4f Grade Three handicap, but he looks open to that.

It is a competitive contest with so many in-form up-and-coming hurdlers with Paul Nicholls’ Caesar Milan and Pipe’s Knight Of Noir among them. But Classic Move is sure to be in the shake-up.

Jo Hughes’ Soll is hoping to sneak into the line-up for the Crabbie’s Grand National in four weeks.

Having finished an excellent seventh in last year’s Aintree marathon, the nine-year-old looked to have the potential to do even better this time. But he is currently 70 on the list and it will be touch and go if he makes the cut for the 40-strong Aintree line-up.

Soll, though, can at least show his well-being for a potential National attempt with victory in the williamhill.com Mobile Cheltenham Money Back 2 Handicap Chase (2.40pm) at Sandown.

He won the same extended three-mile contest en route to Aintree last season. And although he hasn’t scored again since, Soll can repeat the success.

Others of betting interest today are Michael Walford’s Fentara in the Best Odds Guaranteed at totepool.com Handicap Chase (4.15pm) at Ayr and the Evan Williams-trained One In A Milan in the Cheltenham 2014 NRNB At BetVictor.com Handicap Hurdle (5.05pm) at Chepstow.

Wright Ones

SANDOWN

1.30pm Carry On Sydney

2.05pm Classic Move

2.40pm Soll

3.15pm Baltimore Rock (NAP)

3.50pm Ballyhollow

4.25pm Sound Investment

5pm Arbeo

AYR

1.55pm I Need Gold

2.30pm Too Cool To Fool

3.05pm Sam Lord

3.40pm Kykate

4.15pm Fentara

4.50pm Forward Flight

5.25pm The Unsub

CHEPSTOW

2.10pm Robbers Roost

2.45pm Alpha Victor

3.20pm King Rolfe

3.55pm Consigliere

4.30pm Entertain Me

5.05pm One In A Milan

5.35pm Rocky Bender

WOLVERHAMPTON

2.20pm Highland Knight

2.55pm Fashion Line

3.30pm Anipa

4.05pm Come On Dave

4.40pm Trojan Rocket

5.15pm Luv U Whatever

5.45pm Mon Petit Secret

TOMORROW’S NAP: Loughalder (Warwick 4.20pm).

Martin Brassill’s Double Seven is on course for the Crabbie’s Grand National

DOUBLE Seven is on course for the Crabbie’s Grand National following his first run for 126 days at Leopardstown.

Trainer Martin Brassil was pleased with the JP McManus-owned eight-year-old he was sixth in the unsuitable testing conditions behind Pass The Hat in the Carrickmines Handicap Chase.

He will now head straight to Merseyside for the Aintree marathon on April 5.

Prior to his time off the track Double Seven had notched up a five-timer at Wexford in October.

He is one of several horses who Tony McCoy will consider to ride in the world’s greatest steeplechase. Although his mount last year, Ted Walsh’s Colbert Station, is a possible partner for the champion jockey.

Brassill won the National with Numbersixvalverde in 2006 and believes his current Aintree hope goes there with a chance.

Double Seven is a best-priced 40-1 with Coral for the National and Brassill said: “He feels fine, but he hasn’t done much since the race.

“He’s just had a couple of easy days, but he seems to have taken the race well enough.

“I had him fairly fit and I don’t know much it will bring him on but I suppose he ran as well as to be expected on that ground. At the minute the plan is to go straight for the National.”

IAN WILLIAMS is hoping conditions continue to dry out for Ballyalton bid for glory in Wednesday’s Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Owned by golfer Lee Westwood’s father John, the seven-year-old won his first three starts of the season but was bogged down in the testing conditions when fourth at Cheltenham in January.

He is among the leading fancies for the Grade One race and Williams said: “Ballyalton is in good form and worked very nicely at Kempton earlier in the week. I am just hoping that the ground dries out to be somewhere around good to soft on the day.”

At the Cheltenham Festival watch out for... Trifolium, Red Sherlock, Indian Castle and Flaxen Flare

TRIFOLIUM (Charles Byrnes)

TRIFOLIUM was a fine third over hurdles in the Supreme at last year’s Festival. And that race has been a good guide to those who go novice chasing in the Arkle Trophy on Tuesday. The seven-year-old won the Irish Arkle at Leopardstown in heavy ground, but should be even better on less testing conditions. He looks sure to be in the shake-up on the opening day.

RED SHERLOCK (David Pipe)

UNBEATEN in four starts, Red Sherlock looks talented. Out of Cheltenham specialist Lady Cricket, the five-year-old also likes Prestbury Park, having won twice there. He took the Grade Two Classic Hurdle in January and is sure to progress. He can get the better of favourite Faugheen and stable-mate Un Temps Pour Tout in Wednesday’s Neptune Novices’ Hurdle.

INDIAN CASTLE (Donald McCain)

DONALD McCAIN has won the Kim Muir twice with Aintree heroes Ballabriggs and Cloudy Lane. Super Duty almost made it three last year, but Indian Castle able to go one better than his stable-mate. A winner at Cheltenham on Trials Day, the six-year-old looks to have all the right attributes for the 3m1f handicap on Thursday.

FLAXEN FLARE (Gordon Elliott)

FLAXEN FLARE won the Fred Winter at last year’s Festival, and although he hasn’t won much since, he looks capable of winning the County Hurdle on Friday. The five-year-old looks to have been targeting at another Cheltenham success by his shrewd trainer Gordon Elliott. He was beaten by Gilgamboa at Leopardstown but he can gain revenge on his rival.